Over the next two months, a team of Japanese explorers hopes to obtain indisputable video evidence confirming the existence of the legendary yeti, the mysterious apelike creature long believed to inhabit the Himalayas of Nepal and Tibet.

A 7-member crew of experienced climbers, led by veteran yeti hunter and mountaineer Yoshiteru Takahashi, will depart Japan on August 16. At their destination in the Dhaulagiri mountains in central Nepal, they will establish base camp at an elevation of 4,300 meters (14,000 ft) and set up an array of automated infrared cameras along a ridge. For six weeks, the men and their state-of-the-art motion-sensitive cameras will monitor the area for signs of the yeti.

The expedition is Takahashi's third attempt to find the elusive creature. The 65-year-old mountaineer first became interested in the yeti while on a climbing expedition in the Dhaulagiri region in 1971, after fellow climbers saw a mysterious humanoid creature covered in gray fur that appeared to be about 150 centimeters (5 ft) tall and walked upright. In 1994, when Takahashi returned to the region on his first mission to find the yeti, he reportedly found small humanoid footprints in a mountain cave that had a strong animal scent. In 2003, on his second expedition, Takahashi and his crew found more mysterious footprints and observed the silhouettes of unidentified humanoid creatures from a distance.

In a written statement on the Yeti Project Japan 2008 website, Takahashi describes the yeti sighting that took place in 2003. "Three dark silhouettes were observed at 12:25 PM on September 27, 2003 on the southeast ridge of Gurja Himal," he writes. "They looked almost human and walked upright on two legs."

According to Takahashi, the expedition crew had long expected to lay eyes on a yeti, but the sighting shocked them nonetheless. At the same time, however, the incident brought a sense of relief because it confirmed that the creature was indeed out there somewhere.

Over the years, numerous yeti sightings have been reported in the region. Takahashi's 2003 encounter -- the 4th sighting known to have occurred on the southeast ridge -- strengthened his convictions about the yeti. In a recent interview with the Asahi Shimbun (who, along with Suntory, is a co-sponsor of the current expedition), Takahashi said, "The yeti is not a bear or a monkey. It is definitely an unknown creature that walks on two legs."

Unfortunately, however, the 2003 expedition (whose sponsors included Pepsi, Suntory, Nikon, and the Asahi Shimbun), failed in its goal to produce visual evidence of the yeti's existence.

But now, five years later, Takahashi and his crew are better equipped than ever to capture the yeti on camera, and they are sure they will succeed this time. Takahashi, who believes clear photographs or video of the yeti will pave the way for future scientific research, says, "We are confident we can prove its existence this time, and once we do, we can start working to protect it."

Again, this story just goes to show that we can not easily abandon our beliefs. This is because we need a sense of mystery and the supernatural in our lives. Japan may be one of the most technically advanced nations today but it still harbors all sorts of supernatural beliefs. And rightly so... it would just be so dull without them

A.Heim

It's quite possible that Bigfoot exists.However,these assholes that continue to present these fraudulant claims take credibility away from the legitimate Bigfoot hunters.I wish this Japanese expedition the best of luck.

jacob

yeti will not be found using conventioal technology. yeti and others of its kind is being protect by various secret societies throughout the planet. if a serious scientific expedition is to be successful then they must conduct themselves in total secrecy. if various fraternal orders don't have any information on any particular endeaver to make contact with these beings from the sirius star system who we call yeti,bigfoot and sasquach then they won't inform these beings of coming expeditions and their base of operations. only then will proper documentation can be achieved. this japanese explorer expedition is already unsuccessful due to the fact that it was announced to the world. yeti is aware now of this expedition and will not or will vacate the intended location for expeditional base of operation. human ego and lust for prestige is its failures and yeti and their human protectors know this.

samd

When i was a kid i whatch Harry and the hendersons movie, ever sense then i have became a believer in bigfoot.my exgirlfriend has big feet, im still a believer.I sometimes wonder what big foot likes to eat or drink.maybe the yeti would like organic tea.i wish big foot could talk like yoda,that would be cool.I hope japanese men are successful on their journey to find the stinky hairy ugly beast like monkey creature.Maybe they can sit inside the cave in the himalays and drink tea and talk with the Tall one, or short being.If the big foot smells like a skunk, it urinates when scared. whoooo whoooo whoooo whoooo,like movie.

brian

YEA I TOTALY DIS AGREE the yeti, big foot should live in peace . its stayed hidden for thousands of years and has done no harm whats to say that there not more intelegeent then us . after all they arre enormous and could kill us if they wanted . so why would u want to find it . there is proff that it lives just listen to the stories.

I really do believe in Bigfoot, the Abominable snow man (and The Loch Ness Monster) and it would be a great discovery if we found out that they really do exist, but maybe people should let them be. There must be a reason that not many people have seen them, and the reason is that they do not want to be found. Maybe they are smarter then you think, and they know what we would do to them. So leave them alone, and they will show themselves when they are ready, cause it would not be very kind if we took them out of their natural habitat so we can look at them trough bars or sheets of glass. They will revel themselves when they are ready (and it may not be in your life time), so just give them time.